Otto VIII was the son of
Otto VII, and thereby the grandson of
Otto IV, Count of Scheyern.
Regicide On 21 June 1208 Otto VIII murdered German King
Philip of Swabia in Bamberg, during the wedding of Philip's niece Countess
Beatrice II of Burgundy with Duke
Otto of Merania. The motives for the murder have not been conclusively established. Allegedly the Wittelsbach scion, already known for his unstable character, had fallen into a rage when he learned of the dissolution of his betrothal to Gertrude of Silesia by her father, the
Piast duke
Henry I the Bearded. Duke Henry was apparently informed of the Wittelsbach's cruel tendencies and in an act of concern for his young daughter decided to terminate the marriage agreement. Otto proceeded to blame Philip for another spurned marriage alliance (the first being to one of Philip's own daughters,
Beatrice or
Kunigunde, who was betrothed to
Wenceslaus I of Bohemia in 1207) and swore revenge on the German King. == Death ==